After showing her promise with Racing Louisville and the North Carolina Courage, the defender’s move to England has highlighted her elite talent
For a long time, Lucy Bronze has been widely recognised as the best right-back in the world, with few disputing such a claim. At her best, the England star strikes a fine balance between defensive solidity and attacking prowess, winning five Champions League titles and, after another triumph this summer, two European Championship trophies with the Lionesses as a result, among a whole host of other major honours. But as Bronze enters the twilight of her career, that status as the best right-back in the women’s game feels up for grabs – and there are a lot of contenders for it.
Ona Batlle is one of those well in the mix. Batlle took the Women’s Super League by storm in a three-year stint at Manchester United which paved the way for a return to Barcelona, the club she progressed through as a young girl. Instantly, she showed she is more than capable of being a key player for one of the best teams in the world.
Ellie Carpenter is another strong contender. A consistently brilliant performer in her five years with eight-time European champions Lyon, the Australia international has now signed for Chelsea, where she is likely to compete with Bronze for starts.
But many would argue that the best right-back in the women’s game right now is someone else, someone who won the Champions League for the first time back in May, less than a year after standing on top of the Olympic podium with her national team. That someone is Emily Fox, whose last 18 months have confirmed her status as a world-class footballer.
